Random Thoughts

A New Discovery

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:37:00 +0000

The wonderful thing about the internet is the unlimited supply of things to read. I am always reading and looking for great new authors. I love to read and no doubt you do to, that is why you are a member of my fan club. I found a young writer who will someday soon hold the title of AUTHOR. The following is a recent article she wrote. You can find out more about her here: http://writingwithpower.googlepages.com/kimberly

When life throws you curveballs…
SWING AWAY!

From working at Royals Kauffman Stadium I’ve learned a few things. Aside from the fact they don’t have a half-time and that they have innings and not quarters, I’ve learned that you cheer for the home team. Even when they’re the underdogs. Especially if they’re the underdogs every game. I’ve been shown that, in its own way, life is like baseball. You’re playing the same game every time but the pitcher isn’t always the same person. And sometimes, maybe most of the time, the pitcher is bigger, badder, faster, and in every way stacks the odds higher and higher against you. But you still step up to the plate because people are counting on you. There are people who will still cheer you on, wearing YOUR name across their back, rooting for the underdog which happens to be you.

You can’t just say, “Sorry coach it’s just not my day and I don’t feel like playing.” No. Maybe you’re not playing for yourself or for the love of the game, maybe you don’t even know why; but you do it anyway, because that’s the name of the game.

You’re on the roster and it’s your turn at bat. There’s no backing out now and you’ve got to give it your all. You see everyone in the stands, and the determination on the faces of the opposing players, all of them, trying to get you out one way or another. You step up to home plate and try your best, even when you know it’s not good enough you still grip that bat and swing.

The crack of the bat compels you to run like you mean it. First Base. The stadium lights glare and your muscles burn. Second Base. The adrenaline continues to propel you as you approach your goal. Third base. You can see home base as sweat kisses your lips. You begin to feel anxious and triumphant. You’ll make it home but maybe not. Just then, dust is thrown in the air as you slide into home plate and you hear the pop of the ball in the catcher’s mitt.

Anticipation.

Anxiety.

And finally,

Victory as the Umpire shouts, “Safe!”

The crowd roars, sharing your joyous relief.

Sometimes it pays to step it up and swing.

Who do you play for?

“You don’t play for the name on the back of the jersey, you play for the name on the front.” – T Shirt Tuesday Giveaways.

Written by Kimberly Crowley on Saturday June 27, 2009

To Be A Great Writer

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 01:00:00 +0000

I've been told to be a great writer I have to be a great reader. That I have to read what other people wrote and to write like them. Okay, why?
I don't want to write like someone else, I want to write like me. I don't want to rewrite the great American novel, I want to write my own. plainly, I am me so why not write like me?
I have met writers that want to read your work but will not share their's, giving every excuse they can think of to not show you their work. Why? Cause writers are thieves. We hear a good idea and our mind begins to run. How can I improve this and make it better? How can I ride on the coattails of others?
But isn't the point of writing to get your work READ? Take measures to protect your ideas and then write them. People are going to steal no matter what you do, I know, I had a story stolen from me once. I got upset at first because they were profiting from my story and I was not getting my cut but then I thought about Karma. I had protected my story so there was no worries there. my name was on it so I still got credit.
A light went off in my head and I decided not to worry about theft anymore. Hey, if someone wants to take my idea and run that just means it's a great idea. Only I can keep my same idea going on my same track so what does it matter, when people read it they will know who wrote it.
I have been asked why I post so much of my work online for all the world to see? Well there is the point, I WANT the whole world to read it. If you read me you will like me. If you like me you will hunger for my work. If you hunger for my work you will seek it out and that is the point.
I want to be a writer that my readers can relate to. I want you to feel like I am one of you because I am. I do not want anyone to think I am too good for them because I'm not. I have joined a few fan clubs in my youth and I actually PAID to join just to get some picture signed by someone else sent to me and they never knew who I was. Common on, number one rule, without fans you would not be were you are. Treat people with respect and it will come back to you.
I understand that some people have gotten so popular that this becomes impossible to give that personal touch but that does not mean they have to hide from the world, at least I don't think but I'm not in their shoes.
So what makes a great writer? Who cares, just write.

Max M. Power

Writen February 15, 2009

Life Rules

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:00:00 +0000

DONT TUG ON SUPERMAN'S CAPE. DONT SPIT INTO THE WIND. DONT PULL THE MASK OFF THE LONE RANGER. Those are life rules I have learned in a song but I have a few life rules of my own I try to live by: 1. I cant be friends with anyone who HATES Elvis. You dont have to love him but if you out right hate him, we cant be friends.
What are YOUR life rules?

What Do You Believe?

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:28:00 +0000

It’s a valid question, what do you believe? It’s a question that can take a lifetime to answer. God gave us all FREE WILL and with that our minds are open to countless possibilities.
There are literally thousands of topics that this question, these four little words, can apply to. You have the three deadliest topics; Sex, Religion, and Politics, there’s a bomb just waiting to go off. But there are others that can really blow your mind: The Supernatural, The Unknown, The Paranormal, Ghost, Shadow People, and The After Life.
Do you believe in Vampires? I do. I know they exist because I am one. I’m not the kind that you’re most likely thinking of, I do not like blood. I’m an Energy Vampire. Look it up, you might be surprised in what you find.
What about aliens? Well, yea, of course they exist. Just because I have not personally seen one myself, I do believe they exist, sorry but the Goobly Goos are a story I made up. If they are not real then it seems like a very bad waist of space.
Ghost? I would not be an amateur ghost hunter if I didn’t. I have had my own experiences all my life with ghost, even having a ghost attached to me for a few years. Now that my ghost is gone I actually miss her playfulness.
So now I ask you, what do you believe?

Max M. Power
Written December 10, 2008

Wealtheow Her Telling of Beowulf

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 18:47:00 +0000

Wealtheow Her Telling of Beowulf by Ashley Crownover
Turner Publishing Company
www.turnerpublishing.com
Nashville, Tennessee

When you say the name Beowulf the first thing to come to mind is the creature Grendel and how the two had a great battle. It’s a story that has captured the imagination for generations. While it is a great story, for me anyways, it is hard to follow due to the style in is written in. Also, it is one sided and I believe there is always more than one side of the story. Ashley Crownover has captured another side of the story beautifully.
In Wealtheow Her Telling of Beowulf you get the back story of Heorot, the great mead hall in Denmark, where the battle took place. It’s not a story of warriors telling tales of conquest but of pain and joy. The emotions of a queen trying to save her people.
The story, written in modern English, flows easily and captures your attention. You feel like you are there in the mead hall itself, feeling the fears of the people, and wanting the monster Grendel destroyed. The joy as Beowulf comes to the rescue. All and all a very good read and highly recommend by a Beowulf fan for those who long to visit times of old.

Max M. Power
Written November 30, 2008

Four A.M.

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:36:00 +0000

Four A.M.

Growing up I kind of felt like a Gypsy, traveling back and forth across this vast country of ours. Like most of my family I was born in the beautiful state of California. When I was five I was taken to Texas, where I now live. I was taught the importance of family but at a great distance. While 95% of my family was still in California, we were all spread apart, living in other cities and opposite ends of the state.
One thing remanded the same, no matter where ANY of us were, we all longed for the affection of one person, my grandmother. She was the glue that kept our family together, or at the very least, kept us in line. We learned quickly, do NOT let this little lady fool you, after all dynamite comes in small packages and my grandmother was the ultimate firecracker.
My grandmother taught me that there is a huge difference between hearing and listening. Listening to her for five minutes, you knew she had a life time of stories to tell. The wonderful thing though, even in silence, she could speak volumes.
With everyone pawing for attention and we being half way across the country, my time was limited to short visits. A week, a month, a summer. It really did not matter; we always made the best of it. In 1989 the visit lasted a year, and when school started, I got four a.m.
It started with a summer visit, grandma taking my brother, my cousins, and myself to our huge family reunion at the largest park in Stockton, California. At the park we were allowed to go to the pool. Throughout the summer we went to the pool on our own, taking the city bus, but when grandma took us, there was no silence. Oh no, not my grandma, she taught us how to talk smack to the players.
The Stockton Ports was a minor league baseball team but they were OUR team and grandma said they needed OUR support. So to the game we went, buying a Coke and a hotdog or popcorn. It was un-American to go to a baseball game and NOT get a Coke and hotdog, a lesson I passed on to my own child.
Screaming at the other team, telling the ump he needed glasses, those were good times, and the ONLY time we were allowed to say things like that without getting our butts tanned.
Soon summer came to an end and it was time for school. Over ten people living under one roof, with three bedrooms and one shower, fighting for time was a big issue. I had to be out the door at six in the morning to catch the city bus to school. I took my showers in the morning before anyone else was awake. Four a.m. was my time to wake up.
With sleep in my eyes I stumbled into the shower with my school clothes, having to dress quickly in the bathroom. Wet towel in hand, I walked back to my room to put it into the hamper and grab my backpack. As I closed the door to the room I looked over to the kitchen to see the newspaper floating over the table, my grandmother hidden behind the pages.
Breakfast was sitting on the table waiting for me. Grandma made what she made and there was no complaining allowed. I could complain but it would result in getting slapped in the face, breakfast taken away, and having to wait until lunch for my next meal. Like I said, no complaining allowed.
I would sit down, good mornings were exchanged and I would begin to eat. No other words were spoken except an occasional, “Will you look at that…” “I can’t believe they did that…” or “Well, I’ll be…” Grandma never treated us like fragile children but more like young adults so she would read certain articles and ask my opinion.
We never had “conversations” per say but I learned a lot from grandma. At five a.m. the rest of the house would begin to wake up and I would have to clear my place from the table and finish getting ready for school back in my room. It was everyone else’s turn to spend the morning with grandma before she went to work. We all had to share this wonderful woman but at least I had her all to myself at four a.m.

Max M. Power

Written November 24, 2008

Paper or Plastic

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:50:00 +0000

No I'm not talking about your groceries. I'm talking about shopping. In this age of electronics, where almost everything can be done on a hand held device that fits in your pocket, more and more people are turning to the internet to get their entertainment. In fact I am writing this article on a hand held Palm Pilot PDA.
Things are more convenient online. Stores are going out of business while their website counterparts are thriving. People don't have to fight for parking, stand in long lines, or deal with rude people. Your purchase can be delivered to your address so you never have to leave the house. If you know where to look most times you can get what you want for cheaper than you can in the store.
Want to see a movie? Going to a movie can cost over $20 per person when you add in popcorn and a drink. That same movie can be downloaded for less than $3 depending on who you use. Makes you wonder how long DVDs will last at $15 to $20 a movie.
Books? Average paperback will not cost less than $8 while a hardback is closer to $22. An e-book can range from $0.50 to $7 depending on the book. Depending on the handheld device an e-readers can be a fairly cheap add on. A paper book can be bulky; especially if it’s a Stephen King novel, and is can not fit in most pockets.
Amozon.com has The Kindle, other websites offer E-Reader Machines, Palm has a downloadable program that can turn any Palm Pilot into an e-reader, and even cell phones can be turned into e-readers. The great thing about any e-reader is that depending on your memory size you can store anywhere from a hundred files or books on up into the thousands. No more looking for a dictionary, they can be downloaded too.
With this age of technology the question still stands, paper or plastic? While plastic may be more convenient nothing beat good old fashion rough paper. The sound of a newspaper rustling as you turn the pages. The smell of a brand new book as you open it for the first time and let the ink breath. The feel of a crisp new dollar bill between your finger tips.
The best thing about paper that outweighs plastic, no power needed to operate. If you live in an area where a strong story can knock out power for days or weeks at a time you know how wonderful paper can be. So what will it be, paper or plastic?

Written November 15, 2008

Book Review: Historic Photos of Houston

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:59:00 +0000

Historic Photos of Houston by Betty Trapp Chapman
Turner Publishing Company
www.turnerpublishing.com
Nashville, Tennessee

The energy capital of North America, a major oil town, and the fourth largest city in the United States, Houston, Texas is a town all its own. In recent history Houston was the host of few scandals. ENRON brought the national spot light to our town. Janet Jackson showed us the importance of making sure your wardrobe is in proper working order.
If a picture is worth a thousand words it is safe to call Historic Photos of Houston a large volume history book, but a history book unlike any other. Being a history buff myself, and a photographer I was drawn to the story this book has to offer. Looking through the pages one word continued to escape my lips more than any other, WOW!
Taking a drive through certain areas you can see there is more than oil in this town, there is history. A church, a department store, and a street clock, all over a hundred years old, can still be found in the downtown area. The largest park in the city was once a training ground for the Army in WWI. During the Great Depression Houston fared better than most in the country and continued to grow. The Democratic Convention of 1928 was the cause of a major boost in population. During WWII Houston did its part to support the war effort by building machine parts and ships.
Driving anywhere in Houston and you will see traffic, traffic, and yes, more traffic. From the moment Houston embraced automobiles in the 1910’s there has been traffic jams in the city. Our rail system is also something that has been around for over a hundred years, something I thought was only recent.
Historic Photos of Houston is a wonderful addition to any library, making learning about our city’s history fun and exciting.

Max M. Power
Written November 05, 2008

My Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:36:00 +0000

When I took creative writing in college one of the assignments I was given was to conduct an interview with myself. An interesting idea but one I never did, until now. The following is an interview I did with myself.

Sitting down with Max one of the first things you notice is a bookshelf that is so full it is overflowing. A very good mixture of books and DVDs. Seems like that bookcase holds a lot of value to Max. It seemed like a good place to start the interview.
You have just as many books as you do DVDs, is there a reason for that? Yes. I love to read. I have collecting books since the days of SEE SPOT RUN. RUN SPOT RUN. Ha, ha I can still see that little panda running.
So you have books from your childhood? Not anymore. The closet thing I have to a book from my childhood is a book that I bought for my daughter that I use to love as a kid.
I see you have a wild range of books. What is your favorite? I have two but for different reasons. My favorite book for the story is Cracker Jackson by Betsy Byars. That was a book I read over and over. You can tell which books I have read more than once, the front cover is torn apart and the back cover is missing completely.
Star Wars, without a doubt is the second. I am a huge Star Wars fan. My favorite book is a gift I received. Even though I had the original Star Wars trilogy in paperback my nephew bought me a hard back copy while he was out of town for a medical conference. For some reason he kind of ambushed George Lucas at a book store and asked him for his autograph, for me. That is my prize possession.
I bought my first Star Wars book for a quarter when I was fourteen at a garage sale. The cover was torn and falling apart but I loved it. I read it over and over so much I broke the spine and held it together with tape. That was the first of many Star Wars books to come.
But I only see three Star Wars books. I have some comic books in the back but that’s all I have left.
Have left? At one time I had almost had every book printed of Star Wars from the time I was fourteen till I was twenty. Then I started working two jobs and going to school and I did not have the time or money to keep up. I actually had over thirty books then Tropical Storm Allison hit Houston and I lost most of my books.
So you had more than what you have now? Yes. I only have a third of the books I had as a teenager.
Okay, so you like books. Where did you first get started? My grandmother, my mom’s mom. She got me started reading. I remember in elementary the teachers use to order books from a placed called TROLL. My parents would order a book or two every three months. Grandma came for a visit and then started sending my mom money so my brother and I could buy books to read, even if it was just comic books. As long as I was reading that’s all that mattered.
Is there anyone that you are currently reading now? Yes. I read an interview in Writer’s Digest with Laurell K. Hamilton. Afterwards I just I had to read her Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. I am getting ready to start book number three.
What about all the movies you have? What can I say; I’m a big movie buff. Movies are nothing but stories told the old fashion way, with passion that makes people talk, sometimes for years to come.
Speaking of stories being told, you call yourself a story teller, what do you mean by that? Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong time period. In medieval times the common people could not read or write. History and basic entertainment was passed down by telling stories. These story tellers kept the attention of any who would listen.
I firmly believe that the art of being able to tell a story and hold someone’s attention is dying. True, some writers can write a book that is over five hundred pages and have every little detail present but they can not hold someone’s attention, well at least not mine. I hear it all the time, people have to force themselves to read through something that is boring just to get to what is said to be the juicy part of the books. I, myself, am guilty of having to force read through something because I do not want to just give up the book. My goal and hope is that my readers do not feel that way about my work.
Let’s talk about your writing career. In your author bio you say you wrote your first poem for a girl. Tell us about that. I am a shy person. I can hear the moans now about how out spoken I am but it’s true, sometimes I am very shy, to the point of blushing. Her name was Anita and she lived in my neighborhood, on the opposite side of the neighborhood but still within walking distance. We went to middle school together. I had the biggest crush on her and when we went to high school we separated. I went to one magnet school and she went to another.
At the end of summer before school started I went over to her house and we hung out for the day. I gave her the poem that I wrote while I was walking to her house and she hugged me and told me that I was sweet but she liked girls. I was crushed, my young heart was broken, and I wrote another poem. I hated her for breaking my heart. Two years later I saw her at the grocery store and we talked. We stayed friends until our senior year.
After you wrote those first two poems, is that when you knew you would become a writer? God no. To be honest I hated to write. I wrote poetry to girls because I wanted to be liked and I knew girls liked poetry. If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach then the way to a woman’s heart is through poetry. But FATE was not so kind to me. It never worked. Sure girls wanted me to write poems for them and guys asked me to write poems for their girlfriends but it never brought love to me. It was kind of like a double edge sword, I hated to write but it’s what was asked of me.
So when did you want to become a writer? Actually I never wanted to be a writer; I wanted to be a pilot. I had an English teacher my junior year that pushed me to write, in turn making me hate it more. In class we had to write an essay a week but I had to write three. With my father being a school teacher himself I was not allowed to challenge a teacher giving extra school work.
One day after class I pleaded the teacher to stop. I felt like she had been picking on me all year, giving me extra assignments and then always reading them out loud in class. She sat me down and told me that I was a writer and I should not fight it. I told her I wanted to be a pilot and that was my life goal. She did not want to push so she agreed to stop. Before she let me go she told me that someday I would embrace my writing. Something would happen to me and the flood gates would open up and my story would come out. She was right.
So you owe your writing career to this teacher? Yes and no. I feel I owe my writing career to two people actually. Mrs. Jones, my English teacher, for planting the seed in my head. The second is Tyra Banks.
Tyra Banks the supermodel? Yes
How do you owe your writing career to Tyra Banks? Well it’s an interesting story. Mrs. Jones said something would happen to me and that something was the attacks of 9/11. I was working at the airport as a ramp rat on the private terminal and remember how hectic that day was. I started writing a story and it was very rough getting started. I was starting to get discouraged and was about to stop writing.
One day I saw a commercial for the upcoming Tyra Banks show. Tyra was standing in front of her childhood home and telling her story. At the end of the commercial Tyra said, “That’s my story. What’s yours?” Those five words hit me hard. No one had ever asked ME what my story was. Granted, Tyra was not talking to me directly but those five words woke something up inside of me and the flood gates opened up inside me. I found my story and it poured out of me.
I have some questions from people your fans. Are you up to answering some fan fair questions? Sure. I’m up for it.
First question, where do you plan on taking your life over the next ten to twenty years? That’s really hard for me to answer. When I was in high school I did not think I would make it to graduation. When I graduated I did not think I would make it to the year 2000. Y2K, what a scare. There is always something that is suppose to end life as we know it so I don’t tend to plan that far in advance.
What would be nice is if ten years I no longer have to work full time. Writing can be my full time job and I can make enough money to get a good home and take care of my family.
You mentioned your full time job. Security is a big leap from writer, why did you choose security as your profession? I didn’t choose security as my profession, it chose me. Right out of high school I joined the AmeriCorps that President Clinton set up. After one year in the Corps I was given money for college so I started flight school at San Jacinto College and flew out of Ellington Field. While in flight school I needed a job that was not demanding so I got a job working nights as security. I was at an apartment complex and was shot at so I quit.
Four years later I lost my job and no one was really hiring. I had two choices, flip burgers or go back to security. I figured if I was going to get shot at then I need to be able to shoot back so I went to school to get my commission. I became a natural at it. I worked to pay the bills but soon I was wanted and requested. I was good at my job or I should say I am good at my job. Now I have job security, no pun intended.
Speaking of job security, what do you think of the current political/economic crisis in our country? I try not to. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the argument of if you don’t vote you have no right to complain but if I really felt my vote counted then I might vote. Politics is a topic I don’t get into much because I am very passionate about it and passion has a way of becoming heated.
We are in a bad fix right now and all I can do is try to take care of my family. Economics has never been my strong suit but then again, economy has always been a roller coaster that none of us can get off of. Every roller coaster has its ups and downs so I am along for the ride.
So will anything change in the way you spend money or vote? Actually it has. My spending in a way has increased, not decreased. We are on this planet for a short time and whatever we gather here we can not take it with us. I firmly believe that good deeds will be rewarded. I am trying to do good now while things are bad so when they are good again I know they will stay good.
As far as voting, I will not be voting this time around either. I have my reasons and before anyone says anything negative about voting, I know all the arguments. I have the right not to cast my vote just as others have the right to cast their vote. Now if Jessie “The Body” Ventura was to run for president that is someone I would actually go out and vote for. That man has been more level headed and honest then most people I have ever seen running for any office.
Let’s get back to your writing. Why do you write? I write primarily because I am a passionate person. Writing is a good way to channel that passion. I have an active imagination and it’s kind of like seeing a mini movie in my mind. I write down what I see and that is how I get my stories.
Some of your writing can get pretty dark. What goes on in your mind when you write about your dark topics? Does writing about dark topics lighten or darken your mood? Yes I can get pretty dark. I even scare myself sometimes. Growing up I always struggled with depression, not knowing what it was. Later on in life I found out that depression runs in my family and that demons I had been battling all my life, I was not alone. Sometimes those demons can come on pretty strong, writing what I’m feeling helps me to deal with it. I guess you can say the darker I write the lighter my mood gets. Don’t worry though, the truly dark stuff I keep to myself.
Okay, writing dark materials makes your mood lighter. How do you create your characters? What is your inspiration? My inspiration can come from anywhere. A show, a movie, kids playing, the rain, the zoo, nature. Sometimes I hear a story and try to put my own spin or twist on it. The one thing that is consistent in my inspiration is passion. No matter what I do, it is done with passion and conviction.
As far as creating characters, they create themselves. I know that may not make sense but like I said before I watch their story unfold and write it down. People ask me all the time what is going to happen next in the story and the funny thing is, I don’t know. I look at it this way, if I want my stories to sell then my characters need to live and breathe. They need to be someone others can love or love to hate. They need to be real and like real people things can change at a whim.
Do you still have anything from your early high school days? If you do, what is the earliest you have? Yes I do. I still have a lot of my poems from high school. You can tell they are my early work because they are very raw and rough.
So you have been writing for a long time now, how do you write? What are your rituals? Haha, ritual, that’s good. I have no rituals say for one, I have to write everything down on paper first. A notepad and pen go with me everywhere cause you never know when an idea can strike and if I don’t write it down right away I could lose it. After I have written it down on paper I type it on the computer.
So what do you do with your drafts after you type them? I destroy them. I know a lot of writers keep that stuff around or keep a journal but I honestly do not see the need. Whatever notes and changes I make they are my own. The final draft is my gift to my readers. I want people to talk about my work, not what did not go into it what I was thinking when I wrote it. To me, that takes away from the story and I don’t want to take that away from my readers.
Speaking of journals, do you keep one or recommend keeping one for others? I use to write in a journal for school. I was forced to write in it. I have tried writing in one before a bunch of times but I just can not do it. When I write it has to flow out of me. If I feel forced then I can not write, I can even develop a block and I hate those. Everyone has different things that helps them to write and if keeping a journal helps you to write then I encourage that. Me personally, I can not.
You mentioned blocks, a writer’s worse nightmare, how often do you get them? I don’t know, they come and go. The bad thing is when I get one it can last a few hours or it can last months. I had a block that lasted eight months.
So when these blocks end how long does it usually take you to write your short stories or novels? That question is a very tough one to answer. I have written a short story, for example, THE PILLOW FIGHT, in ten minutes while HELL’S PLAYGROUND took me over a year to write. One book took a month to write while another is not complete and it’s been two years since I started it.
When I have a story idea I write and I write till the story stops speaking to me. I might get hit all of a sudden by another story and I have to start writing that story till it stops speaking to me. I have been known to work on three to four stories at once.
To date, just how many novels do you have completed? I have a total of ten short novels that I have completed. I just need to transfer them from paper to computer.
Ten books on paper? Aren’t you worried about losing them? Not really. I know it sounds bad but I do believe everything happens for a reason. If these books are meant to be read then they will be, if not then at least I had fun writing them. Publishing them is important to me but not so important that I have to give up time with my family to get them printed.
Well you have one book that has been published and another due out around Christmas. When did you know you were ready to be published? Honestly I’m not sure that I’m ready to be published even now. I’m my own worst critic. Others like my work and that gives me something to look forward to. I know I have to do my best so that I do not disappoint anyone with my work.

This interview was written on October 17, 2008.

Soul Mates - A Must Read

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:01:00 +0000

I am working on a new article and I come to realize something, I need help. I hit a major wall and I hit it hard. So here is my question, what do you think a “Soul Mate” is? Does your “Soul Mate” have to be your lover? Can a “Soul Mate” be a pet, a friend, a really close relative? Serious answers please.

When NOT to talk

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:31:00 +0000

Okay I dont know about you women, so it would be interesting to hear your respounces. When in the pulic BOARD ROOM, and everyone knows what I'm talking about, do you talk to other people while in the stalls? I mean, do you CONDUCT business while doing your business? Is that really a time for conversation? Saying hello to someone is one thing but carrying on an entire conversation? Thoughts?

Food for thought

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:48:00 +0000

We can circle the world and find a lover in every land, but the one we love the most we can no longer hold by the hand.

Whats in your eye?

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:07:00 +0000

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Well what is in your eye? I mean, I have gotten complements that I’m handsome but I just don’t see it. I look in the mirror and I see a rounded out face with big cheeks that a chipmunk could store his food for the winter in. My egg shape head may be good for a laugh and my weird looking birthmark. Am I just being too honest and critical?
Not saying that I’m attracted to men or anything, but I know guys that are handsome and I don’t see ANY resemblance to them at all. Even my best friend is way better looking than me. So I ask you, the beholder, what is in your eye?

I'M RUNNING FOR LULAC PRESIDENT

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:12:00 +0000

No I'm just kidding. can you imagine if i really did? What a rush!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHA

My Trip to Dallas

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:47:00 +0000

Yesterday I flew for the first time in 5yrs and WOW what a rush. I was like a kid in a candy store with $100 bucks to spend. My face was glued to the windows as I stared out onto the tarmac, watching the ramp rats do their thing. I closed my eyes and I could SMELL the sweet smell of jet fuel. Hmmmmmm... Jet fuel. Then came the tugs, pulling the airplanes around and getting them ready to fly.
Then came time to board. Just being inside a plane brought chills to my body. I touched the skin of the plane at the door before stepping in. It was like an old friend welcoming home. Inside I was crying tears of joy. I love aviation and being away for so long has been hard.
As we taxied out toward the runway I felt my feet moving on their own, pressing the rudder pedals and adding power to keep us on a straight line on the taxiway. As we got to the holding line I could hear in my head the radio traffic from the TOWER as we were cleared for take off. Throttles up and away we went, soaring through the air sweet and smooth. I know I sound silly but it was amazing. I just wanted to share that with my blogger friends.

Return to Sender

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:45:00 +0000

Sorry but I am going to be harsh so brace yourselves. Mexico is trying to go over the heads of the United States so that ANY Mexican citizen arrested in the U.S. can not receive the death penalty for crimes committed. Sorry but if you commit the crime then you get the punishment. However, I DID come up with a solution.
If Mexico wants these scumbags so badly then let them have ‘em. Let them go back to Mexico and IF they EVER come back to the United States they will be shot!!! That should not be harsh because Mexico takes illegals that come to their country from Central and South America down to the southern border of Mexico and shot them. It’s a big deterrent that works for them. So let’s take a page out of Mexico’s book. What do you think?

Karma

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:12:00 +0000

Karma. Karma can be a bytch and it can be wonderful. Here is a test, a challenge if you will, to see how Karma really works. I challenge you to do at least one good deed a day for the next thirty days. It does not have to big or loud, it could be as simple as buying someone a cup of coffee, holding the door open, saying please and thank you. Be polite, be positive, be cheerful. Do something for someone and not expect anything in return. Smile when there is no need to smile. Do a good dead and feel good inside. At the end of thirty days there will be no reward but at least you know you did something good.

Max M. Power

How to save the airlines

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Wed, 21 May 2008 17:37:00 +0000

How to save the airlines:
Dump the male flight attendants. No one wanted them in the first place.
Replace all the female flight attendants with good-looking strippers! What the hell --- They don't even serve food anymore, so what's the loss?
The strippers would at least triple the alcohol sales and get a 'party atmosphere' going in the cabin. And, of course, every businessman in this country would start flying again, hoping to see naked women.
Because of the tips, female flight attendants wouldn't need a salary, thus saving even more money. I suspect tips would be so good that we could charge the women for working the plane and have them kick back 20% of the tips, including lap dances and 'special services.'
Muslims would be afraid to get on the planes for fear of seeing naked women. Hijackings would come to a screeching halt, and the airline industry would see record revenues.
This is definitely a win-win situation if we handle it right --- a golden opportunity to turn a liability into an asset.
Why didn't Bush think of this? Why do I still have to do everything myself?
Sincerely,Bill Clinton

Crime DOES Pay

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:58:00 +0000

On Tuesday, May 20, 2008, in Harris County in Texas a jury of twelve made a grave mistake. An illegal immigrant, Juan Quintero, was sentenced to life in prison for killing Houston Police Officer Rodney Johnson. Juan Quintero has been deported once before for a sexual charge against a child. When Quintero was arrested by Officer Johnson in 2006 he did not want to be deported again so he shot Officer Johnson.
Quintero confessed to the crime, showed Officers how he was able to shoot Officer Johnson and he did all of this without any remorse what so ever. In Quintero’s eyes he did nothing wrong. He killed a cop and that was a good thing in his eyes.
That morning Quintero felt something bad was going to happen so he grabbed a gun and stuck it down his pants. That right there means he was up to no good. Also that was the first law he broke that day. Quintero did not have a concealed handgun license because he was an illegal.
Now Juan Quintero will get to be feed for free, clothed for free, sheltered for free, taught a trade for free, given an education for free, given medical care for free, and you and I get to pay the bill. At the same time, we who obey the law get to work hard and suffer WITHOUT a good education, decent health care, basic shelter, healthy meals. Is it any wonder why people turn to a life of crime, you get a better life than if you obey the law.
A police officer is a public servant and when a public servant is killed it is Capital Murder. What these jurors have told EVERY public servant AND criminal is: GO AHEAD AND KILL A PUBLIC SERVANT, ALL THAT WILL HAPPEN IS YOU SERVE SOME TIME.
Why would ANY public servant want to continue with their job knowing that they will not be protected when they need it the most? They put their lives on the line to protect the public and the public can not return the favor. It makes me sick.

Zero to Hero

You never see me
Yet I’m everywhere you look,
I’m surrounded by people
Unnoticeable as a crook.

You walk on by
Never looking at my face.
You go about your life
Not caring about my pace.

You want me there
To keep you safe
Knowing I will do my job
Without hesitation, without haste.

You never see me
Until something goes wrong.
That’s when I become your hero
No longer invisible, just very very strong.

Max M. Power

What Would You Do???

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Tue, 20 May 2008 13:00:00 +0000

Something has been on my mind lately and I would really like some feedback on the subject. The goal for any writer is to see his or her work in print. In this modern age of computers and the internet we now have more avenues of print that is available to everyone around the world.
Crosses the borders from one country to the next is not always easy in book form but now, with the internet, its almost as if there are no borders to cross, no oceans to sail, no boundaries at all. The important thing is that as an author, my work is read.
Now here is my dilemma, would you buy a printed book if the material was out on the net for free? I mean, I want as many people as possible to be able to read my work, my stories, my poetry, my novels, but at the same time books sales is how I make money.
IF, and that’s a big if, I put my work on the net for free it will be in PDF format where you would have to read it on the computer or print it out on paper. I do this because not everyone can afford to buy books and for that reason the may never take a journey into my world.
I am strongly leaning toward posting PDF formats of my books as I complete them so anyone who wants to read my work can. But do you think people will still buy a printed book? Please be honest.

Man Boobs

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:44:00 +0000

Okay its not secret that I’m a big boy. Been HUSKY all my life. My pampers were HUGE as a newborn. So YES, I have man boobs. With more and more Americans being over weight man boobs are on the rise. They are everywhere you look, and like women, they come in all shapes and sizes. One difference, man boobs are covered with hair. With that being said, should guys start wearing over the shoulder boulder holders for men? What are your thoughts on man boobs?

Coming of Age

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:49:00 +0000

It has been mentioned about what should the legal of drinking be? Then the topic turns to if you are old enough to die for your country at 18, why are you not old enough to drink? I mean, you can go to another country and be able to drink.
But back at the birth of our country the legal age of adulthood was 14. You were able to work and learn a trade and start a life of your own. Now the age is 18, however, a 14yr old can be charged as an adult if the commit a crime. Why is that? Should the age be lowered back down to 14? No it will never go back down to 14, yet some want to raise the age to 21.
The point is that some parents want to keep their kids as long as they can, if you raise the age then when do they become adults? How do you go about saying someone is an adult or not.
The adult age was raised to 18 to allow for a complete public education. Most teenagers complete high school around the age of 18 and now are ready to face the world on their own. Some go off to college, others join the work force, and those that are able, with the will and desire to do so, join the military.
What do you think the legal age of adulthood should be?

Max M. Power

Life

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:48:00 +0000

There is no other life except LIFE itself. There is no fast life or slow life, poor life or rich life, good life or bad life, there is just LIFE. There is only one thing to do with life, LIVE IT!!!
We all came into this world the same way, naked, cold, and crying. Same as it has been since the birth of Cain and it will be for every baby born into this world. In this sense we are ALL equal. It is what happens from this point in life that makes us who we are.
We can accept life, we can give up on life, we can fight life, we can change life. No matter what we do the point is, WE LIVE LIFE!!! We can live it in fear or we can live it with the knowledge that soon we will leave it.
The world goes round and round and we are just renting space. No matter what we do in this life, no matter what we gain, no matter what material things we own, when DEATH comes riding on his white horse we can not take any of that stuff with us. We will leave this life the way we came into it, naked, cold, and crying. Okay maybe not naked naked but the things we clothed ourselves with as we lived and breathed will no longer surround us.
So we have a beginning and an end. What to do with all the stuff in the middle? Does it really matter? If I can’t take it with me then why bother? Well that’s just it isn’t it? It’s the journey of LIFE that we all embark on. It’s a wide ride full of emotions and passions. Living LIFE is the greatest rollercoaster of all. I have my ticket ready, how about you?

Max M. Power

Am I A Racist

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:47:00 +0000

Sadly my answer is YES!!! I’m an advocate for the HUMAN race. I hear all this crying, moaning, and groaning over POOR ME, I’M NOT WHITE SO THE WORLD IS NOT FAIR TO ME. Get real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I mean the world does not stop because someone was treated unfairly, LIFE is unfair. I was once told by a wise young man that claims he will be the first black gay President and with his heart I believe he just might. He told me, “It’s a game, learn the rules or get off the field.” How true is that huh?
Life is unfair, but nothing WORTH having ever comes easy. If you want it, FIGHT for it and be prepared to fight an uphill battle cause that is what it will be. You have to learn how to play the game or the game will eat you up and spit you out. The world is not equal, although most of us want it that way. So if you want things to change start with yourself.
Here is my start. When I started writing it is clear that my real name reveals I am of Latin decent, a Mexican if you will. No one wanted to read my work. I want my work read so I bent the rules by changing my name, which everyone knows me as, MAX M. POWER. Soon my work was being read. I was getting noticed.
I went to see a local publisher here in Houston and I was told that my work was really good but he would NEVER publish it under a white name. Now correct me if I’m wrong but the point of printing books is to SELL books and if people like the material and are willing to buy it then where is the problem? Oh right, my name. That is the truest form of racism.
Did I cry about it??? I know some of you would like to think I did, but instead I was true to my racist nature and got even. I started my own self publishing company, WRITING WITH POWER, and I print my own little projects, which many of you have heard me read from if you seen my interview with the lovely and talented Andrea Watkins, FOX 26 News, Houston, Texas. I fought to get my work out there and it has paid off.
Now I have one book published, Trails of Life, that I did not print myself, another collection of short stories, The Story Teller, on the way, and many more novels to come. I have two booklets, Lost Inside & Random Thoughts, that is free of charge to anyone who wants a copy. I am going to start on a screen play based on one of my short stories, Confessions Of The Hit Man. Everyone who has read it thinks it would make a great movie. I could have cried and boo hooed my way around life but instead I fought. So yea, I’m a racist, but deep down inside, aren’t we all, just a little bit. It’s okay to admit it, its human nature, it’s in our blood. The TRUE difference though, is how we ACT on it.

Max M. Power

Energy Vampire

noreply@blogger.com (Max M Power) — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:45:00 +0000

I seen a documentary on the history of Vampires. Since I’m a history buff I figured it was a good source of research for a book on vampires I’ve been writing.
As Fate would have it, at the end of this documentary they started talking about vampires in modern times. Then one of the experts claimed to be an “Energy” or “Psychic” Vampire. The way she talked and the things she said made me start to think back to my junior year in high school when a friend of mine who was heavy into Goth, I myself being an in the closet Goth, told me that I am one of these “Energy” Vampires. I was told that I was a dangerous kind because I did not know when I was feeding off of others. Remembering this caused me to start doing some research.
The definition of an “Energy” or “Psychic” Vampire is someone who has the ability to feed off the “LIFE FORCE” often called the energy or vitality of another human being. This means that just by being near you I am able to “feed” off of your energy causing you to feel drained. Some people, by their very presence, seem to drain the energy of those around them. Often times the victim becomes aggressive and lashes out at the “Vampire,” not really knowing why.
Most “Energy” Vampires are normal everyday people, however, they are classified as unhappy and do their damage by telepathically draining their victim’s energy source. A mere separation from the vampire will bring about a positive change in the victim. Those that are aware of what they are doing seek out large crowds, a buffet of energy if you will.
Then you have those, like me apparently, who do not know what they can do or how to control it. They do not like these large crowds and are always looking for a way out. They feel very uncomfortable but have never been able to explain why.
As I researched this even further I found that these Vampires have lived past lives and there are five different types of “Energy” Vampires. That’s right, FIVE, and I find myself fitting into more than one category, which in itself is interesting.
The first type is the “Paranoid” type. Betrayal is the main issue with this vampire. Their past lives have been surrounded by warrior like behavior, self sacrifice, and abandonment. They feel there are enemies out to get them everywhere and they are still fighting a battle that ended long ago.
Aggression seems to be the most common response to the world around them. Since they are warriors “Paranoids” often pick fights with their victims. They fight to win because to lose is to admit they are a bad person. “Paranoids” seem to want you to agree with their view of the world, no matter how distorted it may seem. Really though, they want you to argue with them. Anger is a prime choice of energy and will feed the “Paranoid” very well.
More times than not a “Paranoid” can not trust others easily. They are seductive, able to talk their way in and out of places. They seem to be incapable of long term relationships, expecting others to betray them. Initiating a preemptive strike, most “Paranoids” will assist in setting up others for the betrayal.
The second type is an “Ethereal” Vampire. Existential terror is what drives this Vampire. In their past lives they may have been tortured to death for their beliefs in the metaphysical or they feel tortured in their present life for those same beliefs. Their only escape is to detach the mind from the body, having an out of body feeling.
Having to deal with pain in the physical world they prefer to spend their time in the spiritual realm. Because they feel they do not belong in this world they are often aggressive. They are weak due to the lack of being able to feed.
The next type is the “Insecure” type. The problem with these guys is nurturing, or the lack there of. In their past lives they did not have enough food or love to sustain them. They have been abandoned in their present life, triggering their need to feed.
Often times they feel that others are feeding on them so they must feed to compensate and survive. They do this by drawing you into long boring conversations, speaking just above a whisper so you have to strain to hear them. They are often compulsive, overweight, and addicted to all sorts of things.
“Insecure” Vampires portray themselves as helpless, not worthy of an attention, and they can never satisfy their need to feed. All they do is take, take, take.
The “Passive Aggressive” Vampire has experienced being controlled or trapped in past lives. They are not allowed to express themselves freely. They may have been slaves, prisoners, or tortured because of their religious beliefs. They want freedom but fear it.
Often times these vampires create an internal world of unclear fantasies and ideas. Fear is the center of their world. They will project loneliness, depression, and resentment onto anyone they meet. While they may ask for your advice they do not accept it. You are wrong and there is no correct answer.
Lastly is the “Robot” type. These vampires look for authenticity while denying their true self. During their past and present life they have to keep up a certain appearance that is not their own, striving to be perfect in the eyes of others. Most likely they are in charge of important things. They have no life of their own so they have to feed off others in order to survive.
Pretty interesting stuff huh? There is a lot of material on the subject but then again, I could just be yanking your chain as to wither or not I am an “Energy” Vampire.

Max M. Power